Inner thigh tug when pushing off
Quick lateral steps, cutting and the push off phase of running pull hardest.
Groin tightness is a symptom that several different muscles and nerves can produce. Some feel a tug in the inner thigh when they push off or a tight band at the hip crease. Others notice a pull near the pubic bone after a long day standing. It often returns soon after stretching.
The adductors, the inner thigh muscles that attach to the pubic bone, are the most frequent source. The hip flexors and the lower abdominal wall share that attachment area, so when one gets overworked the others tend to tighten with it. The obturator nerve, which supplies the adductors, can add a pulling or aching feeling of its own.
Treatment is dry needling, a form of acupuncture, focused on whichever of these muscles reproduces your pull. A branch of the obturator nerve runs between the adductor longus and adductor brevis. Tight adductors can crowd it, and needling them frees up that space. If the obturator nerve is irritable in its own right, I add electroacupuncture. Fine needles beside the nerve carry a mild current to help change how it’s signaling.
Stretching, rest, anti inflammatory medication and a strengthening program are the usual first tries, often with a physical therapist or chiropractor. Rest settles the pull, but it tends to come back once training resumes. Stretching a muscle that is guarding often doesn’t change its tone for long. Imaging can rule out a significant tear, but it won’t show a tight adductor or an irritable obturator nerve. Because New York doesn’t permit PTs or chiropractors to dry needle, needling these muscles may be new to you.
I ask when the pull started, what changed in your training or work, and which movements reliably bring it on. Then the exam:
On groin cases I often work with sports medicine physicians, general surgeons and physical therapists. If something in my findings belongs back with one of them, I’ll let you know and share it with them.
It’s possible, and only a doctor can confirm a hernia. Seek prompt medical care for a new bulge or pain that worsens when you cough or bear down. Severe groin swelling, fever, nausea or vomiting, or swelling of the testicle or labia also need urgent attention. So does a sudden sharp pain during sport with bruising or loss of strength.
A guarding muscle is tight for a reason, so stretching it tends to give only short relief. The pull may also be coming from a nerve rather than the muscle. My aim is to find and treat the actual source rather than stretching the area that feels tight.
Sometimes it’s the adductors alone. Often the hip flexors or abdominal wall are involved too, or the obturator nerve is adding to it. I sort that out with pressure testing, movement testing and nerve tracing, then recheck at each visit.
Yes. Needling the adductors that reproduce the pull also relieves pressure on the nerve passing between them. If that nerve has become sensitive, electroacupuncture is added. Groin tightness usually involves both muscle and nerve, so treatment usually combines the two.
It is done with close attention to anatomy. I choose needle placement conservatively around the inner thigh and hip crease, and I explain what I’m doing before I start. You can ask me to change or stop at any point.
Usually not completely. Keeping symptoms in a tolerable range while you train generally works better than full rest. I’ll help you scale cutting, sprint starts or heavy adductor work until the pull settles.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
We also offer house calls and after-hours appointments by arrangement.
Private Access & House Calls →Ready when you are.
Limited spots each week — book now to reserve yours.
118 W. 72nd St, Rear Lobby, New York, NY 10023
Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
Member Clinic
An independent practice and member of New York Acupuncture Group, sharing clinical space and operations in Manhattan.
This site does not provide medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health. Read our full disclaimer.